About Us

The very name "Hastadharan" connote what we insinuate to comprehend. To aid the orphanages fiscally, with the intention that they have enough funds to afford victuals and haven for the vagrants. The plain yet imperative

Obligations - food and shelter.

We came into existence, with the nativity of deliberation in our hearts and moreover entrenched deep in our soul, to lend a hand. A hand in the offing to hold the one in need, to support the less fortunate's, and to embrace the insolvent, wherever, whatever, however and whenever, it is possible.

Hastadharan originated back on May 20th 2009, with measly participation of twelve people, and an eternal motive of supporting the orphanages which are struggling to run their homes due to lack of funds. The initiative we took was a minute step towards the colossal goal, we had in our minds. And this minuscule steps have cemented a potent trail to reach our aspiration.

In the company of our troop, we onset the voyage of visiting the orphanages and evaluating them on the scales of need of fiscal assistance, with that the first stopover of Hastadharan was marked by the trip to Balgurukulam.Our first stride in the line of attack of reaching out to the orphans.

That was our instigation and from then we are never on rest.

We now have approximately forty to forty five members since our onset, and the number keeps going up. The membership of this group is wholly volunteered. The people who have the immense compassion and huge zeal to serve the deprived are the element of the set. They all have the same revere, "Lending a Helping Hand".

To reach out to the mob, which has the identical fervor, we came up with our Blog, a spot where we share our stances and also ventures made so far. This Blog spot facilitate us by providing a middling for extending our horizons, also creating a great deal of societal consciousness and errands towards our fellow beings.

We amass the contributions of all the members and the volunteers who join hands with us and bequeath it to the orphanage we visit.

Hastadharan, with its vision and mission has completed a few expeditions through the manifold helping hands. The idea at the rear of all these visits is the assortment of the solitary orphanage amongst all, which is found scuffling financially, to keep up the motive of cherishing the destitute, and supporting them on chronic basis with unremitting funds.

Our mission is immense and hands are few, but the voyage we commenced will never recede…..since we believe that; As Hastadharan unfolds, indubitably our hands will proliferate……

Join your hands with our hands…….. We embrace more willingly than holding……!!

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Morals of Education

In this acquisitive world of today, people have blemished the meaning of education. Today people give significance to the degree that one merits and not the ethics and morals he learns through education. So gradually the Ethics based education has lost its credibility. Today children are not given education to become virtuous humans, but to get a job to keep them going in this world.
Earlier in Gurukulas, the sages took the students along with them, wherever they went, and taught them without abiding to any incessant schedule. Education was not expensive that time, but yet fathomless. It was the divine blessing of Guru to the students for making them an honorable human on earth.
These days education is a big business and not the Principle. Education is time bound, with specific subjects for acquaintance. And the Educational institutions are the Enterprises of the countries yielding Dollars and contributing heavily to national GDP of a country. These establishments are just "Cash Cow" now; and countries compete with each other to gross dollars. Dollars are what these institutions are in quest of rather than molding the character of the Students.
Today’s education is a cultureless education. Education without culture is like a dark room. Our hearts have become dark rooms and hence many animal qualities find their way into them. Yes, animal qualities have found their way into us. Today we hear news about teachers; who are considered the first God and our second parents, brutally raping students. Student battering and shooting their own peers. We listen to bulletin about robbery, murder, rape, communal violence, terrorism being reported at an alarming rate.
I feel that the current education system is the reason for the downfall of quality of life. The contemporary education system might help us earn great moolah to buy thing with which we can pamper our lives but if we are not able to lead a safe peaceful life what is the use?
Governments have been fighting blindly to stop this ever growing menace in the society। According to me they are not identifying the root cause of all these problems. People who are representing us are solely interested in building parks with their name statues so as to be remembered in the future. To these people I have only one thing to say- "if you want to be remembered in the future, do something remarkable for the society. Give the children, our future, education; education through which they can experience bliss from within. Education which is blended with culture will shine forth as true education. The kind of education which shuns the darkness of our heart and enlightens the soul; which helps us scrap the evils prevailing in the society".

- आदर्श वर्मा

Monday, September 21, 2009

EVENT 5 - CHRIST FAITH HOME FOR CHILDREN


Hastadharan’s fifth episode was a stopover to a 23 year old orphanage home called CHRIST FAITH HOME FOR CHILDREN, situated in Manapakkam, Chennai.
Christ faith home harbors boys and girls below age of 17. It also cherishes destitute women and handicap children. The orphanage has a school attached to it. The tots who have been brought up from their infant age are given education in this school. The other Kids, who joined the orphanage at the later age, are put into various other schools in the nearby vicinity.
The orphanage home is providing shelter for more than 100 orphans now, and the number is still increasing. For the past two years the boys and girls are living in separate places, with the girls staying in Manapakkam, a place near by Porur; and the boys staying in Guduvanchery. The special occasion brings them all together for a day or few.
The orphanage home arranges adoption of these children for couples. The home also allows single parents to sponsor studies for the Kids. The children are being adopted by foreigners as well as Indians. These families send money whenever possible, which is used by the orphanage to manage their expenses. They also get aid from many philanthropists for the same.
The day we visited the home, was a special day, as they conducted free eye check up for poor people of that vicinity. The camp was organized and funded by the foreign doctors, who came forward to help the home to help the poor's. They distributed free spectacles after the eye check up. The home also provided monthly pension to old age people as well as the widows.

Event 2- Udhavum Ullangal illam

Event 2- Udhavum Ullangal illam
Udhavum Ullangal Illam- an orphanage home started in the year 2001 is situated near St Thomas Railway station. As on date, it houses 125 children who are between the ages 3 ½ years to 15 years.

The children here strictly follow the daily routine of waking up every day at 5:30 am in the morning and doing meditation for half an hour. They are given 45 minutes as study time, after which they have their breakfast and go to their schools. In the evening after coming from their schools they are given time for playing and watching TV. They again have study time allocated, which is around 2 hour, after which they dine and sleep by 9 pm.

The people around the locality of this home sponsor the food for these children on special occasions like wedding anniversary and birthday’s. They get sponsorship for approximately 15 days in a month. For the remaining days of the month they are providing food from the revenue that they gather. On the sponsored day they are provided special meal which consists of a sweet and more than one dish and on normal days their meals have only one dish.

These children are educated in two schools namely Rosily school and A G S Nidhi school, the former being a primary school and the latter higher secondary school. This academic year 10 of these children are going to write their High school board exams. The children who had suffered psychologically need extra help for continuing their studies which is being provided by volunteers. The children of age more than 12 are given basic computer training by Apollo computer centre free of cost. The tailoring class is especially organized for all the girls above the age of 13 years.

The children here are forced to play only indoor games as the home has space constraints.

The home is raising funds by conducting Musical concert every year. It is also getting sponsorship like philanthropists.

The home requires help in purchasing groceries as they are not able to manage it. They also require help in stitching uniform for these children.

Event 1 - Balagurukulam

Event 1 - Balagurukulam
Balagurukulam, a place which houses 45 orphans of various ages, is located in a village called Kalikuppam near Pudur. This home is surrounded by vast water body which gives it a scenic view.

The first impression that we got on seeing the children is that they were much matured for their age; the elder ones were parenting the younger ones. The caretakers are doing a good job, like training them in yoga and meditation. The children here are also taught to paint, make handicraft items and swim. The care takers carry out all the daily activities with the assistance of the children and with the support of another volunteer.

One of the caretakers is an ayurvedic doctor by profession who does research on ayurvedic herbs. He is also a counselor of personality development who takes classes in some colleges in the city. The other caretaker works in a private company as an HR. The Organisation is run partially by the caretaker’s monthly income and through loan that have been raised from banks and donation that they get from various philanthropists.

The Organisation wants to bring into their fold minimum of 100 orphans who would be educated and brought into the main stream of society, who in turn could help other orphans to come up in life.

In Line with this motto, 22 of these children are being educated in top schools of that area, namely Vivekananda vidyalaya and Velammal School. These schools charge an amount of Rs.15000 per annum per child without any concession. This academic year the organization has to pay an amount of Rs.1.2 lakh which has not been yet arranged. The daily expenses for feeding these children with milk and food amounts to Rs.2000.

Every year on January 26th, a christening ceremony is held for all the children who have completed one year in age.